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Reports, analysis and guides from our coverage
The first 48-team World Cup, in numbers: 104 matches and over 300 goals
The 2026 World Cup was the biggest in history: 48 nations, three host countries, 16 venues and 104 matches. We review by the numbers the tournament that crowned Spain and broke the World Cup mould.
Road to 2030: Spain, Portugal and Morocco to host the centenary
With the 2026 World Cup already in the history books, attention turns to 2030. The next tournament, marking the centenary of the World Cup, will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three opening matches in South America.
The market after the World Cup: the young players who soared in 2026
A good World Cup changes a career —and a valuation. The 2026 edition definitively launched a generation of young players like Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal, who arrive at the summer market with their value soaring after shining in North America.
Spain's secret: possession, pressing and a champion's squad depth
Spain won the 2026 World Cup without relying on a single star. Luis de la Fuente's possession-and-pressing style, backed by a solid defence —just one goal conceded all tournament— and huge squad depth, was the key to the title.
The Azteca, the stadium of three World Cups: 1970, 1986 and 2026
No stadium in the world has hosted as many World Cups as the Azteca. Home of Mexican football since 1966, in 2026 it staged the opening match and became the first venue to feature in three different World Cups.
Argentina-England, 40 years on: the comeback that reached the final
The semi-final between Argentina and England renewed one of football's great rivalries, four decades after the famous 1986 clash. The Albiceleste won 2-1 with two goals in the closing minutes, both assisted by Lionel Messi.